Duty

"No."

The word was quiet and calm, but the tension in the room seemed to rocket even higher than it had been. Avalon was never 'relaxed' any time Grandmaster Nikis came to visit. Even when he was not hostile it was always hard to forget just how powerful and volatile he was. No one moved as Nikis turned to eye the person who had spoken.

Michelle's life had not been fun at all. She hadn't known for most of her life that her mother had been one of daughters of the Orokin Emperor. That had never been a focus for her. Her four siblings had provided more than enough problems and angst for two lifetimes. Then they had died, killed by her father's madness and what had happened after had been worse in many ways. The only good thing was that her mother had found her before her father could finish the job and while Michelle's life was not easy now, it was far better in some ways than it had been. Her sister stood beside her, Jesse's face ashen, but her posture firm as she supported her sister.

"Princess Michelle." Nikis' tone was formal, oddly stilted and archaic. It was also oddly sympathetic. "I have no leeway in such a situation. It is not a request. Do you follow the Code or do you not?"

"Grandmaster Nikis!" Michelle's mother protested. Normally, the Empress of Orokin was the one in charge in any given situation. Not this one. None of the Royal Guard seemed to be breathing. Then again, they were Tenno. They understood. If need be, they would pile their bodies in front of Michelle. That was the job, protecting the Royal family from any threat. In this case? They would fail. They would fall trying, all of them. Something that everyone -including Nikis!- were trying hard not to have happen. "That is patently unfair. She is healed. You saw the scans!"

"I have." Nikis sounded tired now. "What is more, despite our various disagreements, I trust your scans." The ancient Nekros admitted to more than one intake of breath. "But many of the others do not know you. All most Tenno know is that Michelle was Infested. Then she was healed of Infestation. Not how, or why or by whom. We cannot tell them."

"The Elders know." Eliza did not quite snarl that.

"Most of them." Nikis allowed. "But letting Avalon become common knowledge is a bad idea. Even Tenno can blab things." He paused as Eliza looked away, her face sad. "Do not mourn him, Empress. He would not wish such."

"I know." Eliza sighed. "Tenno Aziz was not perfect by any means. He was flawed as any human, but he did what needed to be done and he succeeded brilliantly. Do not attempt to forbid me grief for a hero's passing, master Tenno. Do not." Eliza demanded.

"I have seen more heroes fall than you have had hot breakfasts, Empress." Nikis retorted evenly. More than one of the others in the room bristled, but no one moved. Wise of them. "He did the right thing, his crazy way as always but that does not change the fact that he did what he did. Now we have to do what we must. This schism must be dealt with before it comes to blows. If it comes down to it, you know where I stand."

"As do I. With the Caretakers and what they ward." Eliza shook her head. "Grandmaster, is it truly that bad? Civil war within Tenno ranks?" She really didn't want an answer, but he had to give it to her.

"Almost." Nikis sighed deeply. "The ones who hate the Caretakers have finally acted openly. They have been very careful not to kill anyone but that restraint won't last. If the Caretakers are given an open target? They will act. Attacking Anne the way that was done has lit a fuse that is burning. It is burning fitfully, but it is moving." More than one person looked confused at the Nekros' words, but Eliza just sighed and laid her face in her hand.

"You are asking my last birth daughter to throw herself into the firestorm, Nikis. She isn't the only one who... who..." Eliza trailed off, her face working. Nikis bowed his head and then Eliza gasped. "No!" She shot to her feet and the tension level rose again. "No!"

"Mom?" Michelle started, but paused as Jesse laid a hand on her arm. "Jesse?"

"I touched the Caretakers too." Jesse said quietly. "He is probably waiting to demand my presence formally." Nikis nodded, silent and Jesse sighed. Then she grinned. "All this time I wondered what it would take to make you quiet, Grandmaster."

More than one person blanched. Eliza paled, but then Nikis chuckled.

"Don't push your luck, kiddo." Nikis warned, but it was amused rather than biting. Said amusement faded with his next words. "I do not blame any of you for having misgivings. I have more than my own share. I cannot guarantee safety in this. My own power is too blatant and at the same time, too circumscribed in most situations. I can wield it against any target I can see, but the enemy here is skulking around the edges. They have valid concerns, but their methods are going to provoke a firestorm as you say. Stalker must be laughing his ass off right now. Tenno fighting Tenno." He shook his head. "I prayed never to see such again."

"You have seen it before." Jesse's words were not a question.

"I have." Nikis slumped a little. "It happened a couple of times in the first few centuries, divergent paths, different takes on the Code. Never our finest hour when Tenno fought Tenno. That was what finally prompted Hayden to write down the Code. Hard to argue with such, but also hard to change when he finally passed on."

"Correct me if I am wrong..." Michelle said slowly. "You are eldest now?" Nikis glowered at her and she nodded. "Could you not change things?"

"You know about cause and effect, Princess." Wonder of wonders, Nikis wasn't hostile. Indeed, he sounded almost approving. Michelle nodded, her face grave. "Debating things in such ways was never one of my primary skillsets. Don't get me wrong. I have done such, but I was never good at it. I get too involved in things. Seeing the big picture, seeing all of the potential ramifications, I am not so good at that. For my own area of expertise I am pretty good. For the Tenno as a whole? Not a chance. Sooner or later, someone would piss me off, intentionally or not and we would be back at square one. Usually with a mess to clean up too."

"Damn." Michelle sighed. "If we can solve this, an amendment to the Code may very well be warranted."

"Maybe." Nikis shrugged. "If so, I will leave it to experts to tell me the various pros and cons. If they need me to decide such? I will. That is my duty, but I will not judge hastily or without all the information I can get."

"Grandmaster, please." Eliza begged. "You would take both my daughters?" Nikis heaved a sigh.

"I don't want to." Nikis sounded sad now. "We have had our disagreements. No matter what else happens, Jesse and Michelle deserve better than to be paraded around in front of a bunch of old fossils."

"Nikis, I touched the Caretakers!" Eliza said quickly. "So did you!"

"You touched Jasmina through a hard light hologram." Nikis corrected. "No contamination was possible that way. Before that? You touched Lisa, but you were scanned thoroughly both before and after. They took our word for that at least. And me? I tried to beg off. They won't let me."

"What?" That incredulous words came from several throats.

"Who would dare?" Eliza demanded.

"You want the short list or the long list?" Nikis groused. "Short answer is that one of the Elders asked another Guardian to request intervention. Hayden himself told that gal to go pound sand. They are not getting involved unless we make them. The Elders have already done some things that required shade assistance to keep under wraps but the shades don't want to get involved in a fight between Tenno. Understandable. If my own grandson wasn't in danger, I wouldn't either. Yeah, I like Jasmina, Mishka and the others, but this is gonna be a mess. Hayden put his foot down. I am eldest, I have to chair even though I am anything but neutral in this. I don't want to. I want to shoot those responsible. But life doesn't care what I want."

"Empress… I..." Michelle had paled so far that Jesse took hold of her arm to help her keep standing.

"We know our duty." Eliza sobbed softly. "This is your choice, not mine. But I am not too proud to admit that I am afraid. So afraid."

"Take care of Gali." Michelle said quietly and then nodded to Nikis, straightening herself. "Even though I am can no longer wield a warframe, I follow the Code, Grandmaster."

"A small part of me was hoping you would say no." Nikis admitted. He looked at Jesse who nodded as well. He beckoned to the floor beside him and both females started towards him. A shadowed form stepped down with Jesse and Nikis nodded to it. A Mag Prime warframe started down, but paused when Nikis shook his head. She turned to Eliza who frowned.

"Will you leave Michelle unwarded, Grandmaster?" Eliza asked in a tiny voice.

"No." Nikis' tone was calm, but underneath lay iron. "Karl's Shadow has declared that your daughters will be safe. Mori, Olim and Will will ward Michelle while she is away." Eliza's jaw dropped before she could resume her control. A Royal Guard, a grandmaster Cyberlancer and a master swordsman? They were taking her safety very seriously. "Alicia and Rica will ward Jesse alongside Draco." Nikis paused and chortled. "And try to keep her out of trouble."

"Good luck." Eliza said sourly but she was smiling through tears as Jesse flushed. "You are going to need it."

"We all are." Nikis agreed as the floor lit up around the feet of the mismatched quartet.

In moments, the portal swept them away and they landed on a very different platform, one surrounded by Tenno in warframes. The Citadel was on a war footing and everyone was tense. All of those lowered their weapons as they saw who had arrived.

"Jesse! Michelle! You came!" Rachel swept forward, holding out her arms. Jesse was first to hug the Leader of the First, but Michelle was just behind her. It should have been uncomfortable, hugging a Saryn warframe. Neither of them minded.

"We know our duty." Jesse said quietly as she took a step back. "Tenno should not fight Tenno."

"Tell that to the creeps who hurt Anne." Jasmina said from nearby. She was as prickly as ever but then she gasped as Jesse stepped forward and hugged her too. "Jesse!" She protested, trying to not move for fear of hurting the unarmored young Cyberlancer.

"You do not stand alone." Jesse said flatly. "You and yours will never be alone."

"Enough with the luvy duvy." Nikis sighed as everyone glared at him. "We ain't got time for this. You now that Rilla at the very least is gonna deny it."

"What?" Jesse asked as everyone but Michelle and Draco bowed their heads. "Rilla? Elder Rilla?"

"Yeah." Nikis said sourly. "She thinks being traditional means she doesn't need to change anything at all. She wouldn't change underwear if she could help it." Jesse made a face, but no one laughed. "Don't get me wrong. Tradition has its place, same as honor. But take either too far and bad things happen." He turned to Draco who remained as shrouded as ever. "You know they are gonna press you."

Was that a shrug from the camouflaged Tenno? "Let them try."

"Too bad I am gonna be running this shitshow." Nikis snickered. "I might almost wish to see what happens when they do."

"You will probably hear it." Jesse said sourly. "One thing. Mom told me she was helped by the Caretakers. Is my mom being called? How could they manage that?" Nikis shrugged as everyone else looked at one another.

"I understand that is under discussion."


Titan Orbit

"Let me be sure I have this straight."

Oracle Janet prided herself on being in control. It was a prime requisite for any psi powers at all if the user did not wish to die or go mad. Or worse. Yes, there were worse things. No, she did not want to contemplate them. Especially now.

But she was so tempted!

The ship her avatar was currently standing in was a standard Tenno assault craft. A Scimitar design if she was not mistaken. She had known this was coming. Her own visions were clouded by her proximity to Jesse and many others involved in the current mess. The other Oracles were not so limited, but had far less power available despite their numbers. Ess had given Janet a heads up though and the other female Oracle was a godsend in many ways. Even mad, she was far more trustworthy than the rest of the Oracles to Janet's mind.

Indeed, the only reason Janet was here at all was that two of the other Oracles had begged her to come along with another very concerned party.

"You want me to let my human body which I was told was disposed of..." She glared at Caroline who had the grace to look abashed, or as abashed as a sea turtle could. "...be scanned so that you can determine if some people who helped me though one of the most traumatic experiences in my life are guilty of some crime against… who?" She asked the other hologram whose lips were set in a grim line.

"Against the Tenno." The Lotus said severely. "Not that I agree with that. With you being subverted by the Caretakers or the actions being taken now by various parties." She was not happy. Not at all.

"So they want to scan my corpse and see if they can determine if the Caretakers defiled it in some way that the First didn't see." Janet said savagely. "On top of the horror that Rasputin did to me." Her eyes flashed dangerous. "I wil need too find a way to thank those responsible properly for reminding me of that!"

Both of the Tenno in the ship winced. It wasn't every day that a human held and nearly released enough sheer psionic power to wipe out all life in the Solar System. She had nearly died as a result of that.

"Janet… I..." Caroline started weakly but broke off as Janet speared a finger at her.

"Be silent, Caroline." Janet snapped. The turtle shut up. "I am not happy with you. You say I am in charge, but then you go around my back with this… This idiocy. Don't the Tenno have enough enemies?" She demanded of everyone. "What the hell do you hope to find, hmm? Some kind of mind control implant? Some kind of infection that the First didn't detect?"

"There is no call for rudeness, Oracle." The female Elder said sternly. "We simply wish..."

"To kill my friends!" Janet cut her off. Everyone went still as she started to glow. Never a good sign with her. "You can say it, Elder. I know what you want. You want them dead. Nothing else will suit you." The glow cut out as she reasserted control. Then she shook her head. "Nothing I say or do will change your mind. So here is my answer: 'Get lost'."

"What?" The other Elder looked shocked as Rilla opened and closed her mouth.

"You have no authority here, Tenno!" Janet snapped. "I honor your people's dedication to defending the remnants of humanity, but this is not a defense. You are attacking people who have done nothing to you. I refuse to help you in any way. You may have trapped Nikis in this kangaroo court mockery that you have erected to cloak your actions in some faint resemblance of civility, but you and I both know you would shoot every last man, woman and child yourself and have no problem sleeping at night, Rilla."

"I offer them mercy." Rilla said with a growl. "I will do what Tenno have always done."

"Will you?" Janet looked from the two Tenno to the Lotus who looked sour and shook her head.

"She doesn't speak for me." The Lotus said quietly. "Or for my children."

Janet paused at that. The Lotus' true children, the survivors of the Zarimon Ten Zero Void Jump incident, were incredibly powerful and incredibly dangerous. Most of them could not be close to fleshy squishy things like humans or some Oracles without causing harm. Janet had found them to be many things, truly children in so many ways. She liked most of them and they liked her. Neither feared the other and that was a good thing. She learned from them and they from her. Also a good thing.

"Do you deny our request?" The male Elder said softly. Janet looked at him,

"Funny." The Oracle mused. "What part of 'We want your body' was a request?" She shook her head as Caroline groaned. "Be very glad Nikis wasn't here. He would have shot you for that. As I understand, that was a killing offense where he grew up. Demanding another man's wife."

"We do not want a fight with you or with other Tenno." The male Elder pressed. "We want to resolve this."

"Some of you don't want a fight, Elder Gruss." Janet retorted, her eyes on Rilla, who flushed. "Because you know you will lose. When Tenno fights Tenno, no one wins."

"We will cleanse the taint!" Rilla sounded fervent.

"What taint?" Janet demanded. "Or have you forgotten where Tenno came from, you silly female?"

"You cannot talk to us like that!" Rilla drew herself up, but the Lotus shook her head and vanished.

"Oh, I can't, can I?" Janet asked in a silky soft voice. Caroline gave an 'eep' noise and vanished as well. "Let me make this very clear, Elder." There was precious little respect in Janet's voice now. "I am not Tenno. I am not under your authority. I acknowledge that you do wield considerable authority in the areas you control and I do think that most of the time, you people do good. I also think that you in particular and others of your peers have your heads so firmly lodged up your asses that sooner or later you will bite yourselves when you take breath. The answer is 'No' and 'Get lost.'"

"I am sorry you feel that way." Rilla said as golden energy erupted around Janet who stared at her. It formed lines that arced towards her head. "Did you think we would come unprepared? You will not be harmed, we simply need-" She went still as the energy around Janet suddenly flashed green and vanished! A holographic dagger appeared in Janet's holographic hand. "Ah..."

"And you call me rude. The last person who tried to hold me like that was Rasputin." Janet's tone was almost conversational as the oddly shaped dagger in her hand glowed brighter and brighter. "I learned a few tricks since then. Nikis begged me not to kill either of you before the convocation. So I won't."

Both Elders were frozen as Janet stalked forward.

"But you will wish I had!"